Shuttle Start

Objective

• -Raise heart rate quickly
• -Improve first step speed
• -Build readiness for football work

Setup

1. 1Mark out a 20 x 15 yards area with four corner cones.
2. 2Place two marker lines five yards apart across the middle.
3. 3Split players into two teams and give one team bibs.
4. 4Each player starts behind a different end line.

How to play

1. 1On the coach's call, the first player from each team sprints to the middle line and back.
2. 2As soon as they return, the next player goes.
3. 3After a few rounds, add side shuffles on the way out and quick feet on the way back.
4. 4Keep the rest of the team cheering and ready in line.
5. 5Play for short bursts with quick rests between rounds.

Progressions

• +Progressive Tempo: add a fourth maximal round
• +Ball For Every Player: shrink the working area
• +Reaction Start: two cues, one a decoy
• +Add a competitive scoreline for the last round

Regressions

• -Progressive Tempo: stay at the first two tempos only
• -Ball For Every Player: bigger area, share a ball between two
• -Reaction Start: coach counts players in
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Progressive Tempo — Three rounds: 60% pace, 80% pace, then match pace with full recovery between.
• -Ball For Every Player — Every player works with their own ball so no one waits in a queue.
• -Reaction Start — Every repetition begins from a visual or audio cue rather than a set count.
• -Partner Race — Players work in matched pairs and race each repetition, best of five.
• -Mobility Focus — Each round finishes with a controlled mobility hold for the hips, groin and ankles.
• -Change Of Direction — Add a 90 or 180 degree turn into every repetition before the finish.
• -Team Target — The whole group works to a shared score target and repeats the round if they miss it.
• -Flip the practice to the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Standing flat-footed at the start
• -Turning too wide at the cones
• -Leaning back when changing direction